The invention relates to flow diverter means for diverting flow of solid materials in a gas stream from one conveying system to another. More particularly, the present invention relates to a conveying system which includes means for diverting the flow of product from one conveying system to a second conveying system.
Conveying systems are well known for transporting materials throughout manufacturing facilities in order to get the materials from one area to another. Particularly in the processing of tobacco, conveying systems are utilized throughout the manufacturing facilities to convey the tobacco leaf coming in all the way through each of the processing steps until a finished cigarette product in package and carton form is shipped. However, in the conveying of leaf or cut tobacco from one station to another in the processing line, many times contaminates are found in the tobacco which are difficult to remove, particularly when the contaminants are of substantially the same size and shape as the tobacco, and, screening means are not effective to remove this foreign material from the tobacco. One archaic method to remove this foreign material which is still in use is to have a laborer stationed along the conveying means to physically remove the pieces as they go by. Another separating method is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,144 wherein foreign material, such as string and paper, are detected in tobacco processing lines and as the contaminated tobacco cascades from one conveying means to another conveying means, a blast of air is directed to the portion of the cascade in which the foreign material is located. Even another means being used is to drop the tobacco, along with the foreign material, through a separating device which separates the foreign material from the tobacco, based upon the different densities of the two products. However, whenever the foreign material and the tobacco are of substantially the same size and density, this of course does not work.